Time's Blood
by Lazeralk
Summary: Yugi is sucked into ancient Egypt to prevent the murder of his past incarnation.
1. Duel

Time's Blood  
Chapter 1  
By: Lazeralk Standard disclaimers apply. *.* = Yugi's thoughts ^.^ = Yami Yugi's thoughts  
  
#  
  
Yugi Mouto felt the sweat run down his face as he reached for his deck. The card he drew would mean the difference between victory and defeat. His shaking hand touched the top card.  
  
*Heart of the cards, please! * he thought.  
  
Across from him, arms casually laid upon his chest was a smugly smirking Maxmilion Pegasus and his Toon World Book  
  
*There's no way for you to win Yugi-boy. * he thought to himself.  
  
Yugi drew the card, his movements jerky as he forced himself to have faith in his deck. He slowly flipped it over; his eyes first drawn to the picture, then to the sticky note attached to it.  
  
"What the."  
  
Pegasus activated the power of his Millenium Eye and saw the card and the sticky; he could not read what was under it though.  
  
The card was green, indicating magic, and called 'More Than You Asked For', a card neither of them had ever seen before. As to how it had ended up in Yugi's deck, will forever remain a mystery. (To Pegasus at least)  
  
The sticky note attached to the card said: "Trust me! Play me!"  
  
Confused, Yugi removed the sticky and read the box beneath the picture, that of a shadowy gate, to see what the card did.  
  
"Solve my riddle then you'll see, I'll restore your memory If you can, I'll open the door And you'll get more than you asked for!"  
  
Yugi blinked, than read the poem again. Thoroughly dumbfounded, he looked at Pegasus, then back at the card, he looked at the floating book, then back down at the card.  
  
"Oh well, might as well try." He said. He placed the card down, face up on the field and watched as the computer read the information and produced the hologram.  
  
Pegasus raised an eyebrow as a large set of double sided double doors appeared on the field.  
  
"Just what is that Yugi-boy?" he asked, eyeing the gate suspiciously.  
  
"I don't really know Pegasus, but I trust my cards." Answered Yugi, drawing himself up proudly.  
  
A nondescript face appeared on a dais embedded into both sides of the doorframe, allowing the face to look at both duelists. The eyes opened, and the face began to speak.  
  
"Solve my riddle then you'll see, I'll restore your memory If you can, I'll open the door And you'll get more than you asked for!"  
  
"Ok." Said Yugi, addressing the card.  
  
"My riddle is this: I live deeper than the night, I am more red than blood, I am both hunter and hunted, and my name rhymes with kid."  
  
"Oh, tough one.ok.let's see..." said Yugi, gaining a thoughtful expression.  
  
"Something that's red and.can you repeat the riddle please?"  
  
The face calmly repeated the riddle.  
  
"Something that lives deep, is red, is both hunter and hunted, and rhymes with kid.red huh.fox? No.sid, mid.no.red.kid.squid?"  
  
The face vanished and the gate creaked open.  
  
Pegasus and Yugi watched the gate and the think fog that rolled out of it in vast billowing clouds of a distinctly noxious purple.  
  
Yugi mentally crossed his fingers, silently begging both the spirit of his grandfather and the heart of the cards for strength, and for a moment, Pegasus wasn't so sure of himself.  
  
A figure stepped from the shadows of the gate and stopped, a shadow amongst shadows.  
  
There, back-lit by the pulsing foggy purple light was the most beautiful and lethal looking woman either of them had ever seen.  
  
Tight black leather bodysuit creaking as she moved, she raised an arm to her face. Blades, giant and sickle-like adorned her bracers; twin katana rest at her hips and handguns lay within arms reach on her thighs. Her impossibly long metallic silver hair swayed as she crouched, ready to spring. Her eyes, a bone chilling icy blue, narrowed beneath her thick black visor.  
  
Yugi stood in awe of her, unable to move. The voice in the back of his head was utterly silent.  
  
She waited, then tilted her head to the side, asking for orders.  
  
Yugi blinked, snapping out of his trance, and gathered up his scattered wits. His deep purple eyes darted to Pegasus, who, like Yugi, had no idea what to make of this odd turn of events.  
  
*It's a magic card, so I won't loose any points if this doesn't work. * He thought.  
  
Aloud, he declared his move.  
  
"Attack Toon World Book!"  
  
Pegasus smirked.  
  
The woman vanished, and a split-second later, reappeared, back to Pegasus. She was crouched down, one hand on her knee, the other on the ground before her. The blades flashed and the book exploded in a flurry of mangled pages, then burst and vanished into the graveyard.  
  
"What?!" shrieked Pegasus as he watched his book and three of his monsters disintegrate into nothingness.  
  
The woman stood then retreated back into the gate.  
  
Yugi watched as the doors creaked closed, fully expecting his new weapon to disappear. The giant set of doors remained on the field however and a new card appeared, face down on Yugi's side.  
  
"What's this?" he asked reaching for it.  
  
A yellow sticky note materialized on the back, reading: 'Don't Touch!'  
  
He jerked his hand away, blinking in surprise. It wasn't everyday that small pieces of paper randomly appeared on his cards. Hesitantly, he mentally approached the spirit he now knew resided both in him and his Millenium Puzzle.  
  
*Um.h-hello? *  
  
^Ah, hello Yugi. Is there something I can help you with? ^ Answered a voice that was his and wasn't.  
  
*.Um.do you have any idea why there are sticky notes on my cards? *  
  
^.I can take a guess, but it's something of a long shot. ^  
  
*Oh.um.ok then.uh, thanks. *  
  
Doing what he could to distance himself from the other presence, he looked down at his hand and lay his Curse of Dragon on the field. He could only assume that the card would tell him when to play it.  
  
*Wait, that doesn't sound right. The card will tell me when to play it? I think I may be hallucinating. That's a bad thing. A very bad thing. *  
  
^You're not hallucinating Yugi, I can see it too. ^  
  
Yugi closed his eyes, trying to calm his nerves. First he's hearing voices, then he's hallucinating, and now the voices are telling him that he's not hallucinating.  
  
"I'm going crazy aren't I?" he asked no one in particular.  
  
Pegasus, for once in his miserable life, didn't take this opportunity to taunt our hero.again.  
  
Still nursing his wounded pride from the destruction of his book, he took extra care in plotting his next move. Not knowing what the face down card was left him at a serious disadvantage, however, he was sure that it could do little to him once he'd made his next few moves. He reached for his deck and drew a card, Relinquished, and smirked. He played a monster from his hand; one he made sure had more than 2000 attack points and smiled for his opponent.  
  
"Your move Yugi-boy." He cooed.  
  
*I hate it when he calls me that. *  
  
^I agree, he sounds like a gay child molester. ^  
  
Yugi shuttered.  
  
*Don't say things like that! *  
  
^Sorry. ^  
  
Yugi drew a card, the Dark Magician, and placed it in his hand.  
  
"You just drew the Dark Magician, did you not?" asked Pegasus slyly.  
  
"I did." Said Yugi, no longer impressed with his adversary's mind reading ability.  
  
He glanced at the face down card in his magic/trap card zone, seeing that the 'Don't Touch!' was still firmly in place, he looked at Pegasus.  
  
"Your turn." He said.  
  
Pegasus smiled in the most annoying way and laid another monster on the field.  
  
Loudly calling out his moves in that aggravating, egotistical, condescending voice of his, he laid down another card.  
  
"I hereby sacrifice my monsters in ritual summon to bring out a new one. A creature so devastating it is simply known as.Relinquished!"  
  
Pegasus laughed, Yugi flinched.  
  
*What a horrid sound. *  
  
^How can you stand to be in the same room with this idiot? ^ Asked the spirit.  
  
*I honestly can't tell you. * Answered Yugi, resisting the urge to drop his hand and cover his ears. His friends wouldn't have laughed at him, they were cringing in disgust as well, but he would still feel stupid. His manners also gave him a good scolding for thinking such a thing of his host.  
  
"Relinquished has zero attack and zero defense, but he has a special ability that I'm sure your Curse of Dragon will find simply irresistible!" said Pegasus with another heinous laugh.  
  
^That sound is actually painful. ^ Observed the spirit, who had given his name as Yami when the younger of them had asked.  
  
*Just be thankful he hasn't tried to sing yet. * Replied Yugi, a shiver passing through his small frame at the mere thought.  
  
"This guy likes to hear himself talk don't he?" asked Joey to Bakura.  
  
The fair-haired keeper of the Millenium Ring nodded, his eyes never straying from Yugi's form.  
  
With the loss of Pegasus's Toon World Book and Yugi's Summoned Skull, their life points were down to 400 and 600 respectively. The next turn could very well decide the duel.  
  
Yugi did not intend to waste his turn and ordered his Curse of Dragon to attack Relinquished. The dragon shrieked and charged but stopped short when the opposing monster began to suck him in.  
  
"What?!" Barked Yugi as he watched his prized dragon disappear. In a desperate move, he threw down the Dark Magician in attack mode.  
  
"Dark Magician! Attack Relin-!"  
  
The words died on his tongue as Relinquished activated its special ability to the fullest extent. Before he could call it back, the mage threw its dark magic at the creature but destroyed the absorbed Curse of Dragon instead of the intended target.  
  
Pegasus was having trouble breathing, he was laughing so hard.  
  
Yugi muttered every obscenity he knew, cursing his opponent in as many ways as possible.  
  
^Those are words you shouldn't even know at your age, let alone be using. ^ Scolded Yami, a mixture of concern and amusement in his deep voice.  
  
*You shut up. * Thought Yugi bitterly, grimacing as his life points dropped to 100.  
  
*What can I do? If I attack Relinquished, it will just absorb my Dark Magician too. *  
  
^Hey, you told me to shut up. ^  
  
*I wasn't asking you! *  
  
The face on his side of the door winked at him.  
  
Confused, Yugi looked to the face down card, it still said 'Don't Touch!'. His eyes scanned over his other cards and he was shocked to see that another sticky note had found its way to him. This one was attached to his Dark Magician and read: 'Attack'.  
  
He had already attacked with his Dark Magician this turn so he had to wait until his next turn to obey the sticky, he scowled and informed Pegasus that it was his move.  
  
The keeper of the Millenium eye smirked and put another card down.  
  
Jigen Bakudan.  
  
Pegasus gave another hair-raising laugh as Yugi recognized the card.  
  
"That's right Yugi-boy, after your turn the infamous time bomb will explode. Your move."  
  
*If I attack Relinquished and it absorbs my Dark Magician, then the time bomb will explode and I'll loose! *  
  
^Quite a predicament you've gotten your self into huh? ^ Said Yami casually.  
  
*Alright, I'll buy it, what do think I should do? * Grumbled Yugi, sure that he was about to be defeated.  
  
^The only thing you can do. Trust in the Heart of the Cards. ^ Came the reply.  
  
*You're right, - *  
  
^Of course I am. ^  
  
"I have to trust in the Heart of the Cards." He said aloud, ignoring Yami's comment.  
  
"Ok, here goes nothing.Dark Magician! Attack Relinquished!"  
  
"Yugi, Yugi, will you never learn?"  
  
Yugi ignored Pegasus and watched, with no small displeasure, as his favorite card was devoured by the silent monster.  
  
He looked down and saw, to his great relief, that the sticky on the face down card now read 'Play me.'  
  
"I'll also play this." He said, making sure his opponent didn't mistake his silence as the forfeit of his turn. He flipped the card and stared at it.  
  
The Tides of Change. A quick-play magic card, and one that was the very light of salvation.  
  
Everything suddenly made sense.  
  
"I'll equip my captured Dark Magician with this magic card, the Tides of Change, enabling him to switch his attack and defense point with any monster on the field. He'll give his 2500 attack and 2100 defense in exchange for the nonexistent points of your Relinquished."  
  
Pegasus wasn't laughing anymore.  
  
"When your Jigen Bakudan explodes, you loose the life points for it."  
  
Pegasus was now seething with fury.  
  
"My turn is over Pegasus, and with it, so is this duel."  
  
Jigen Bakudan exploded, taking Pegasus's life points down to zero.  
  
"NOOO!" screeched the CEO of Industrial Illusions.  
  
"I won Pegasus, now release my grandpa and the Kaiba brothers right now!"  
  
^Oho, aren't you a scary little man. ^  
  
*Yami! Shut up, you're killing the mood! *  
  
^Let me take over shrimp. He's not likely to cower before the might of a twelve-year-old. ^  
  
*.Fine. *  
  
Yami Yugi now stood a few feet taller and much more menacing.  
  
"Well Pegasus, what'll it be?" he asked, his deep tenor reverberating through the room and causing the silver haired man's head to snap up in surprise.  
  
"W-what?" he asked dumbly.  
  
"Release the souls you have imprisoned or face your doom." Said Yami Yugi, now glowing with fae light, his third eye glaring at the man before him.  
  
The gold Millenium Eye activated and somewhere in the castle, three people awoke at the same time.  
  
The face on the door smiled.  
  
Pegasus stumbled backward, shock and disbelief on his face, clutching his prosthetic eye.  
  
"No! No! You can't!" he pleaded.  
  
Yami Yugi watched with a combination of confusion and pity as his enemy shrieked and raved.  
  
His Millenium Puzzle began to glow and he barely had time to glance down at it before he was forced to the back of Yugi's mind.  
  
Yugi, now back in his proper twelve-year-old body, watched in awe as his puzzle shifted and convulsed, a large hole appearing in the center.  
  
"You are unworthy." Hissed a voice, detached, otherworldly.  
  
In a flash of blinding gold, the hole in Yugi's puzzle was filled and Pegasus was gripping an empty socket, blood pouring down his face.  
  
Howling in pain and mental anguish, the mad man departed, or tried to, slamming into the door as he staggered in the entranceway. Finally, he limped from view, leaving a startled and confused Yugi and seething and wounded Yami behind.  
  
*What just happened? *  
  
^It forced me out! Damn piece of scrap metal forced me out! ^ Hissed Yami.  
  
*Um.sorry? *  
  
^It's not your fault Yugi. ^ Yami said with a sigh. When he'd calmed down he did what he could to explain what had happened to him.  
  
^Another power pushed me out of the way and reshaped the Millenium Puzzle. I think that the Millenium Eye is now imbedded in it. Technically it should give you, or me depending on who's in control, the power of telepathy. However, like all the other Millenium Items, you have to master it. Don't worry though Yugi, if you can master the Millenium Puzzle, you can master the Millenium Eye. ^  
  
"Yugi! That was so cool!" cried Teya, rushing down to meet him.  
  
"Yugi! You won! That was awesome!" crowed Joey also racing to reach his friend.  
  
"Great moves Yugi! You're the best ever!" yelled Tristan.  
  
"Quite a duel Yugi! Very impressive!" added Bakura.  
  
They continued the shower him with congratulations and praise, crowding around him and chattering wildly.  
  
Yugi smiled then gagged as he was dog piled.  
  
None of them noticed that the gate had remained on the field, its giant doors hung open and it's shadowy depths quite empty.  
  
End Chapter 1  
  
Notes: I am well aware that Jigen Bakudan would have killed Yugi. For the purposes of this fic however, it does not. Also, Yami Yugi is a bit out of character, he's more sarcastic than encouraging. Personally I think being encouraging makes Yami look like a quixotic fool. I much prefer the sharp and witty Yami to the dorky 'you can do it maaan!' Yami of the show. I also apologize to any of you that don't like the English names. If any of you can provide me with all the name translations (for ALL the characters), I'd be more than happy to rewrite this fic using them. That's all for now! Thanks for reading! 


	2. Letter

Time's Blood  
Chapter 2  
By: Lazeralk  
  
Standard disclaimers apply. *.* = Yugi's thoughts ^.^ = Yami Yugi's thoughts  
  
*  
  
Yugi awoke abruptly, wide awake and having the strangest feeling that he was being watched. His Millenium Puzzle/Eye had become rather heavy due to the addition of the Eye, and rested on the table to his right. He'd fallen asleep at his desk, attempting to do his homework, and the Puzzle/Eye hanging from his neck had begun to hurt. Naturally, after apologizing to Yami, he'd taken it off and set it aside.  
  
He looked around his bedroom, halfheartedly hoping to catch a glimpse of whoever was spying on him. No such luck, as his visual sweep of the room revealed nothing. Frowning, he turned his attention back to his studies, only to find a plain white envelope sitting before him instead of his history notes.  
  
*Uh oh.I better get Yami first, he'll want to see this first hand. * He thought, reaching for the Puzzle/Eye, at which point he'd decided to refer to as the Puzzle unless he specifically referred to the Eye, he put it on and called mentally for Yami.  
  
^What's up? ^  
  
*Something weird. I fell asleep at my desk and when I woke up.well take a look. * He replied, allowing Yami to take over. By now he was fairly use to the slight tingling feeling he got whenever that happened.  
  
Yami Yugi peered curiously at the envelope for a moment before picking it up and studding it closely.  
  
*Do you have the feeling we're being watched? *  
  
^Actually, now that you mention it, I do. ^  
  
The two of them had agreed to communicate mentally regardless of the situation and at all times. There was no sense in risking having Grandpa over hear and have him hauled off to a mental asylum if they didn't.  
  
*Are you going to open it? *  
  
^Yeah, yeah.^  
  
Yami Yugi promptly flipped it and carefully tore the edge open. He extracted a folded piece of paper and opened it to find a duel monster card and a short, curt message.  
  
"Dear Mr. Yugi Mouto,  
  
Please meet me at the Star Wind Café 6:00 tomorrow evening."  
  
The card was More Than You Asked For, the very same card he'd found missing from his deck upon his return home from the Duelist Kingdom.  
  
*Should we go? *  
  
^I don't see why not. We might even figure out who put the sticky notes on your cards. ^  
  
*That's true, but who could it be? *  
  
^It's not one of your friends, or Kaiba for that matter. ^  
  
*Why not Kaiba? He might want to talk to me, and he thinks it beneath him to just call like any of the others would have done. Maybe he wants to thank me for saving him and Mokuba. *  
  
^ I highly doubt that. Kaiba doesn't thank anyone for anything and he certainly doesn't say 'please'. Besides, if it were him, wouldn't you think he'd have just given the letter to your grandfather and asked him to deliver it? ^  
  
*I guess so.well then who? *  
  
^I don't know, and neither will you if we don't go. ^  
  
*.Okay. We'll go, but we take my friends. The letter doesn't say we have to come alone. *  
  
^Fine by me, besides Teya is kinda cute. ^  
  
*Don't even think about it. *  
  
^Why not? It's not as if you have a chance. ^  
  
*I have a better chance than you. *  
  
^How so? ^  
  
*She doesn't even know you exist. *  
  
^That can be fixed. ^  
  
*It can, but it won't. *  
  
^Why not? ^  
  
*Because I don't want to spend the rest of my life in a mental institution. *  
  
^Whatever. Get going. ^  
  
*Huh? *  
  
^Call your friends and tell them what's up. ^  
  
*Oh, right, I'll do that. *  
  
With that, Yugi shifted back to himself and, completely ditching his homework, ran for the phone.  
  
*  
  
Teya had been watching Yugi all day, and something was definitely wrong with him. He'd stare off into space as if he were thinking very hard and his face would change like he was talking to someone. He even nearly burst out laughing once. When he'd called her last night and asked if she wanted to go with him, Joey and Tristan to the Star Wind Café, she'd been a little suspicious of his motives.  
  
The Star Wind Café was not a café at all but a frequently deserted bar. They served sodas though, as the small arcade in the back attracted children during the day hours. They went there sometimes when the game shop was full and there was nowhere else to play duel monsters. Then they'd all get on the four way racing games, which Tristan always won.  
  
The place was perfectly fine during the day but at night.things tended to roughen up.  
  
They were walking there now, and she'd made sure to stick close to the youngest member of their group.  
  
Yugi was casting glances all around him as they made their way through the streets to the café. The curiosity had been eating at him all day and he found himself quickening his pace several times.  
  
"Hey Yugi, why are we goin' to the Star Wind anyway?" asked Joey.  
  
"To meet someone." He answered absently.  
  
"Meet someone? Who?"  
  
"I don't know. I got a letter yesterday asking me to meet them at the Star Wind at six. I thought it was kinda suspicious, so I thought we all better go."  
  
"Good thinking Yugi. It's better if we're all together, incase there's trouble." Said Teya.  
  
Yugi smiled at her.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
*Trouble? *  
  
^Don't worry. I'm better with a weapon, but I can handle hand to hand if absolutely necessary. ^  
  
*Oh that's real encouraging. But what am I gonna do? *  
  
^Let me take over. ^  
  
*Now? *  
  
^No. If we run into trouble. ^  
  
*But won't they see? You're a lot taller than I am. *  
  
^And better looking. ^  
  
*Shut up. I'm twelve, I'm not suppose to be good looking yet. *  
  
^True, but at lease you know what you'll look like when you're older. ^  
  
*Yeah, I guess so. We're here. *  
  
They had indeed arrived at the café, a dirty building in ill repair on the not so nice side of town.  
  
They pushed open the doors and were a little surprised to see that the place had been cleaned up considerably on the inside and was completely empty.  
  
Empty as in barren, devoid of life. No drunks, no waitresses, no bar tender, no one. On the table closest to the door was another plain, unmarked white envelope. Yugi snatched it up quickly and tore it open.  
  
"Dear Mr. Yugi Mouto,  
  
I am terribly sorry for any inconvenience, but I had sought to speak with you alone. Please forgive me, and meet me in front of the Kaiba Corp. building tomorrow at noon."  
  
Yugi sighed and handed the letter over to his friends who looked it over and scowled.  
  
"I don't like this Yugi. I don't like this at all." Said Teya.  
  
"This is really creepy man, I don't think you should go." Agreed Tristan.  
  
"Me neither Yugi. This is just too weird." Added Joey.  
  
"Well."  
  
^We're going. ^  
  
*We are? *  
  
^Yes. I want to know who's pulling the strings. ^  
  
"I dunno guys, nothing bad has happened so far right? Maybe is a personal matter. Who knows? But I have a feeling that I really should go and get this over with."  
  
^Bravo. ^  
  
*Like you helped any. *  
  
"Still Yugi, it might not be safe."  
  
"I can take care of myself."  
  
^Right. Sure you can squirt. ^  
  
*Yami. Shut UP! *  
  
The four friends turned around, each departing with another warning for Yugi not to go, Tea's the most adamant, and went their separate ways on home.  
  
Joey and Tristan exchanged a look as Yugi walked off; the letter tightly clutched in his hand and a look of determination on his face, and silently agreed to follow him from a distance.  
  
Teya was having similar thoughts and called up Tristan and Joey as soon as she got home to present the idea. They didn't like spying on Yugi, but they were also very worried about the mysterious new turn of events.  
  
"First Pegasus and now this. Yugi almost got in over his head last time and I just know somethin's up." Said Joey seriously.  
  
"Yeah, trouble seems to follow him around and if we're not careful, we might just loose him." Added a worried Teya.  
  
"Then it's settled, we all follow him tomorrow." Said Tristan gravely.  
  
The talked long into the night about their plans of pursuit, where they'd meet, at what time, how far behind they'd follow, and they all agreed that if nothing happened, they wouldn't breath a word of it to Yugi.  
  
*  
  
*Do you think we'll need to bring anything? * asked Yugi as he pocketed his deck and straightened his coat.  
  
^I don't see why we would. ^  
  
*Well, we might be going somewhere after we meet up with this person and we might need other stuff. *  
  
^Like what? ^  
  
*Dunno. It's just a feeling I have. Like I'm forgetting something. *  
  
^Then take whatever you want. ^  
  
*Hmmm.I think I will. *  
  
With that Yugi stuffed his pockets full of odd items he might need. He took a fresh book of matches, a small flashlight, a mini siren Joey had given him as a prank gift a few birthdays ago, and his hair spray.  
  
Frowning, he pulled out his bag and began to stuff it with a change of clothes and some snacks. Fishing in one of the outer pockets of the bag, he pulled out a necklace. The silver chain was slightly graying and the charm it held was difficult to open. Yugi stared at it for a long time before prying it open to reveal small photographs of his mother and father. Yugi just looked at, letting his eyes travel over the familiar pictures. He'd never actually met his parents, as his mother had died in childbirth and his father a short time later. He'd lived with his grandfather for as long as he could remember, and he'd looked at the locket several times.  
  
He snapped the locket shut and reverently hung the chain around his neck. He fingered the charm for a moment longer before he stuffed it down his shirt, the large metal piece resting over his heart.  
  
The feeling that he was forgetting something vanished and he informed Yami that he was ready to go.  
  
^All right then, let's go. ^  
  
Yugi nodded, pulled the bag onto his shoulders and glanced at the clock. 11:30. He should leave now. He took one last look around the room, making sure there wasn't anything else he needed to bring with him and nodded when he didn't see anything.  
  
"Grandpa! I'm going out for the day!" he called as he reached the door.  
  
"Ok Yugi! Have fun!" came the muffled voice of his grandfather from the back room.  
  
He pushed open the door and headed out, the anticipation growing in him as he traced the familiar route to Kaiba Corp's main office. He walked past it every day in order to get to school. He lost himself in his thoughts, and Yami's annoying snide comments, and let his feet do the walking.  
  
*  
  
End Chapter 2 


	3. Time

Time's Blood  
Chapter 3  
By: Lazeralk Standard disclaimers apply. *.* = Yugi's thoughts ^.^ = Yami Yugi's thoughts  
  
Yugi walked up the steps to the main building of Kaiba Corp just as Kaiba himself was coming out.  
  
"Yugi?" he asked, shifting his ever-present briefcase to his other hand.  
  
"Oh, hello Kaiba, how are you today?" asked Yugi pleasantly.  
  
"Fine. What are you doing here?"  
  
"I'm meeting some one." Answered Yugi.  
  
"Who?" asked Kaiba, not quite sure why he was so interested in what his rival was doing in front of his office but curious none the less. He'd been angry all day, like something big was about to happen and the anticipation was eating at him.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"You what?" said Kaiba, quite shocked. Didn't he have an appointment book or something?  
  
"How can you not know who your meeting, but know where, and apparently, when? That doesn't make any sense."  
  
Yugi sighed and dug both letters out of his pocket and handed them to Kaiba. The older of the two read them over quickly and frowned. Something about this bugged him.  
  
"I'll wait with you then." He offered.  
  
Yugi was surprised, his rival was offering him company? Seto Kaiba was taking time out of his busy schedule to wait with him for someone he'd never even met?  
  
"Why?"  
  
Kaiba shrugged.  
  
"I just feel like I should."  
  
"But.I mean, thank you, but don't you have things to do?" asked Yugi.  
  
"No. I have the rest of the day off." He replied, he read the letters in his hands again before he handed them back, not bothering to explain anything.  
  
*  
  
Teya, Tristin and Joey crept along the edge of the sidewalk and peaked around the huge brick columns that held the gates of Kaiba Corp together. They watched Yugi hand Kaiba some paper and watched them talk, not hearing a thing. They glanced at eachother and looked back at their friend and sometimes enemy. This just kept getting weirder.  
  
*  
  
^Something's up Yugi, on you toes! ^ Screamed Yami's voice inside his head.  
  
*What.What is that? * He asked, something in the air changed, something dark and slimy that crawled across his skin and caused him to shiver violently. His body jerked; reacting to what ever it was. The world was black for an instant and then he was in Kaiba's arms.  
  
"Yugi! Snap out of it. What's wrong with you?" asked Kaiba staring at the shaking form of his rival. The smaller boy had started shivering, his eyes clouding, his body beginning to spasm before he collapsed completely. Kaiba had dropped his briefcase to catch the smaller boy as he'd fallen. He'd almost dropped the younger, as his skin was icy and waxy to the touch.  
  
"Something.bad.powerful.dark." whispered Yugi.  
  
"Shadow Magic." said Yami, taking over and standing shakily in the circle of Kaiba's arms. They were almost eye level now that he'd changed.  
  
"Yugi?!" asked Kaiba, staring in shock at the older version of Yugi he was now holding up. The new Yugi was taller, sleeker, his muscles more defined, as if he'd aged a few years in the space of a second.  
  
"No Kaiba. I am called Yami. Yugi's mind has been overwhelmed with Shadow Magic. Had I not taken over, Yugi would be deeply unconscious now." Yugi replied in his deeper, more confident voice. The voice Kaiba had grown to know and loathe. The voice that filled with satisfaction when he beat Kaiba in a duel. The royal purple eyes that stared back at him were no longer the trusting, innocent eyes of Yugi Mouto. They were narrow, sharper, shining with vast intelligence, wit and something darker. There was something in them that spoke of experience and harsh realities. He knew, he looked at eyes like that every morning in the mirror.  
  
"Yami then. Can you stand?" asked Kaiba, a new respect and a new curiosity filling him as he continued to support the other young man's weight.  
  
"Perhaps. Forcing Yugi's mind back when he is struggling to keep hold is no easy task. Yugi is strong in mind and heart, add to that the pressure of the Shadow Magic and my divided efforts at both taking over and shielding Yugi from it's power, and this adventure has been awfully draining indeed." Said Yami tiredly.  
  
Kaiba nodded and gently lowered both of them to sit on the steps, one arm still around Yami's waist to keep him from falling, the other searching for his briefcase.  
  
"Bravo Pharaoh." Said a woman's voice.  
  
Two heads snapped up to look at the source. The world was black. They were still there and the woman was there and three figures off to the side were panicking and trying to hide. It didn't work. But even so, the world was still black and Yami thought for a moment that they had entered the Shadow Realm, but a taste of its energy and he knew he was wrong. They were somewhere, not the real world, or the Shadow Realm, but somewhere.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" asked Kaiba.  
  
"Pharaoh, my lord and master Amenhotep. I have come on your orders to fetch you from the future so that you might save yourself, and your empire." Said the woman, completely ignoring Kaiba and focusing her attention on Yami.  
  
Yami looked up at her and gasped. The woman before then was the card More Than You Asked For. She was standing in front of them, still dressed in her black body suit, long wickedly curved blades gleaming in some unseen light. She dropped to her knees before him and lowered her eyes, now free of their mask and startling icy blue, to the ground.  
  
"You sent me from your death bed, my master, and bid me travel to when you were reincarnated and bring you back so that you might prevent your death." She said.  
  
"I what?" asked Yami intelligently.  
  
"'Tis true my lord. On the night of your eighteenth birthday, you were murdered. The one who sought to kill you was not strong enough and you too skilled for you to die quickly and as you bled to death you called me to you. You bid me walk the rivers of time and find you, in a new body so that you might return to the past and prevent the death of your former self." She explained.  
  
Joey, Tristin and Teya had given up their futile attempts at hiding and had joined them in the middle of her speech.  
  
"So, that means were going back to Yugi's past life?" asked Joey.  
  
"Only My lord Amenhotep need come but if my master wills it so, then you may." She said.  
  
Yami found he could stand up and Kaiba followed him. They both glared at her and she flinched.  
  
Yugi had come to when they'd gone from sitting on the steps in front of Kaiba Corp to the black floating world groggy and dizzy. He watched her flinch and the sadness and hurt fill her eyes as she met his and he felt horrible for causing such a reaction.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked, using Yami's voice. Yami was startled for a moment before he realized what was happening and settled back. He remained in control, but he let Yugi do the talking.  
  
She looked down again.  
  
"I know my master of past and you are not him, else you would not look at me the way you do." She said.  
  
"What other way should I be looking at you?" he asked gently, hoping she's stop looking like someone ran over her puppy.  
  
"I am my master's servant. My lord had chosen me as his lover as well as his body guard and high mage." She said.  
  
Oh. Yugi blinked Yami's eyes.  
  
*Um.Yami? *  
  
^What? ^  
  
*Lover? Maybe you should take over now.I don't know anything about.that. *  
  
^Fine. ^  
  
"Tell me your name." Said Yami.  
  
"Lailiathessa." She answered.  
  
"Lailiathessa? There's got to be an easier way to call you."  
  
Lailiathessa smiled.  
  
"My lord said the very same when he first met me. He's reduced my name to either Laila or Thes."  
  
"Laila then. Where are we?"  
  
"We are in the In-between. The place between time and space. From here I am to guide you to the past. Come, we must enter Time. Be careful. Your death has upset the balance of things my lord. Time has been wounded and the river bleeds."  
  
"Time can bleed?"  
  
"Oh yes my lord, Time, Space, Balance, Power, all can bleed and die if damaged properly."  
  
Yami shook his head trying to absorb it all. This was just to complicated, to abstract. The thought of an idea bleeding and dying was absurd but strangely logical in a way.  
  
"Why did my.death.upset Balance?" he asked.  
  
"Because it was not meant to be my lord."  
  
"Please, just call me Yami Yugi."  
  
"Dark Game, my lord?"  
  
"I am Yami, the other presence within me is Yugi but we can both hear you. Yami Yugi allows you to address us both."  
  
"No, no my lord. Yugi is your reincarnation. You are Amenhotep, but because of the Millenium Puzzle, you are also his Yami, his dark side. Normally, a person who gains a Millenium Item and is not the reincarnation of it's spirit will develop a Yami. But the Yami will be made up of dark impulses and feelings, an alternate personality that is born from within and manifested through the Millenium Item. You, however, match the body that put the puzzle together. You found your reincarnation and manifested perfectly. Most people's Yami's take control, but nothing else. When you take control of your new body, you change physically, because you are taking the form of Amenhotep, not Yugi."  
  
"Whoa, slow down.you're givin' me a headache." said Joey.  
  
"My apologies." Said Laila, giving him a quick glance. Her focus was on Yami alone.  
  
"I don't understand." Said Yami Yugi, shaking his head and frowning.  
  
"You need not understand my lord, all will be well. You will follow me into Time and I will return you to your kingdom." She said as she extended her hand to him.  
  
Yami Yugi looked at it for a moment before he took it, finding that it fit rather nicely in his. A smile found its way to both their faces as she motioned for the others to gather behind her.  
  
She made a sweeping gesture and the world spun, melting into itself and blurring until there was nothing.  
  
* * *  
  
End chapter 3 


	4. Egypt

Times Blood  
  
Chapter 4  
By: Lazeralk  
  
Standard disclaimers apply.  
  
*. *= Yugi's thoughts ^. ^= Yami's thoughts  
  
* * *  
  
Yami awoke to the scent of clean linen and irises. He was in an unfamiliar bed, in an unfamiliar place and there was an unfamiliar face above him.  
  
"Dare da omae?" he asked.  
  
The face looked puzzled and then spoke in a very strange language.  
  
"I asked who you were." Said Yami as he sat up, now agitated.  
  
"Pharaoh?" That he recognized.  
  
^Pharaoh? What the hell? ^ He thought.  
  
*Unngh. * came Yugi's mind voice as he awoke.  
  
^Hey. ^  
  
*Wha? Where are we? * Asked Yugi. Yami sighed and let Yugi take over, shifting easily back to the child's body.  
  
The man in the room with them yelped and jumped back as Yugi's wide innocent eyes looked at him with concern.  
  
"Daijobu? Ne, doshitano?" asked Yugi, coming to his hands and knees.  
  
The man let out a shriek and scrambled out of the room yelling in his strange language. "Well that was weird." Said Yugi to himself.  
  
He stood up and found his coat and his shoes. He sat down to slip his shoes over his feet when he noted sourly that they didn't fit.  
  
*Yami! My shoes don't fit! You changed without them on. * Complained Yugi.  
  
^Sorry squirt. I'll change back in a moment. ^ Replied Yami as he gathered the power needed to make the change.  
  
He shifted and Yami pulled on his shoes and coat. He shifted back and Yugi once again fit in his own clothes. He grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder before heading out to explore this new place and to find his friends.  
  
* * *  
  
Seto Kaiba awoke to his own scowling visage. At first he thought there was a mirror above him. Then he realized that not only was he not scowling, he was also not wearing a hat.  
  
"Dare da, ome?" he growled at his twin.  
  
The other him growled something back and started hissing at a pair of armed men by the door. The men left quickly, scrambling out of the chamber.  
  
"Oi. Doko da?" demanded an equally peeved Kaiba.  
  
Kaiba Two began yelling at him in a different language and gesturing wildly.  
  
Kaiba arched an eyebrow and began searching for his briefcase. When bad things happen, sit down and write a new program for the holo projectors. It always worked when his life decided to take a turn for the worst. He located his briefcase and stood to retrieve it. His double watched him with suspicious eyes.  
  
Kaiba glared at him and typed in the security codes that allowed the case to open. He popped open the lid and pulled out his laptop. His twin moved behind him to watch. Kaiba ignored him. He started up the computer and began to type furiously, calling up a new program frame. The other him was gawking at him, eyes wide with fascination. Kaiba glanced at his shadow's reflection in the screen every few minutes and tried desperately to dismiss his double's existence. It didn't work.  
  
* * *  
  
Yugi's stomach growled when the passing thought of 'I didn't eat lunch, did I?' crossed his mind.  
  
"Laila?" he called tentatively.  
  
He'd wandered into some sort of great hall full of stone pillars painted ancient Egyptian style, only they looked like they were painted yesterday. When he first saw them he thought maybe he was in Disney Land, then he found a window and that idea came crashing down around his ears.  
  
There was a desert outside. An actual desert, with sand.  
  
^Yes Yugi, most deserts have sand. ^  
  
*Shut up Yami. *  
  
^Whatever. Now what? ^  
  
*Shouldn't we try to find everybody? Joey, Teya, Kaiba? *  
  
^I guess. I want to find Laila and this Amen-whatever guy. ^  
  
Yugi frowned.  
  
*But didn't Laila say that he was you? Shouldn't you know your own name? *  
  
^Maybe, but I don't. So I guess maybe not. ^  
  
*Would you make up your mind already? *  
  
^Shut up squirt! I've only lived as long as the puzzle. Sorry if I missed the last couple hundred years. ^  
  
*Geez. Chill out Yami. I'm sorry ok? *  
  
^Yeah, sorry kid, didn't mean to snap at ya. ^  
  
Yugi smiled and continued to explore his surroundings. Unbeknownst to him, a shadow watched his every movement.  
  
* * *  
  
Teya sighed as she rolled over in her sleep. Wait. Sleep? She didn't remember going to bed. She opened her eyes and was shocked to find two of her best friends in bed with her. Her best friends also happened to be guys. There were not supposed to be guys in her bed for a long time yet. This was utterly wrong and unacceptable.  
  
Teya screamed.  
  
In response to her scream the two boys also awoke and started screaming, believing that they were under attack. The guards that were in the room with them, also thought they were under attack and began to scream as well, brandishing there weapons this way and that.  
  
All in all, there was a lot of pointless screaming.  
  
* * *  
  
Pharaoh Amenhotep sighed as he rubbed his temples. His birthday was today and people were not supposed to be screaming on his birthday. With a growl he lifted himself from his throne.  
  
"No one in and no one out." He ordered of his guards.  
  
"Sir!" they saluted.  
  
Amenhotep ignored them and went in search of that horrible noise.  
  
* * *  
  
Yugi whirled around at the screams; terror filled him as he picked out Teya's and Joey's voices. He raced towards the sound, his mind providing all sorts of horrible tortures that they just had to be enduring to scream so loud.  
  
*Yami! Take over! You can run faster than I can! * Cried Yugi desperately.  
  
^Right! ^ Said Yami as he quickly took over, his stride doubling and bringing them ever closer to their friends.  
  
The shadow detached itself from the wall and turned, tossing silver hair into the wind.  
  
* * *  
  
Amenhotep slammed his hand into the door that separated him from that awful noise.  
  
The guards were in disarray, scrambling wildly to calm the girl that was shrieking at the top of her lungs.  
  
"Be silent!" he roared.  
  
The girl stopped and looked at him in confusion.  
  
She them began speaking in a strange and rapid language that left his head spinning with the effort to understand. She was apparently scolding two boys who were arguing loudly back.  
  
A blonde haired boy made a comment and she slapped him hard enough to leave a mark. The room fell silent after that.  
  
"What in Ra's great name is going on in here?" Amenhotep demanded of his guards.  
  
"She woke up and started screaming, we thought we were under attack sire! We're sorry for upsetting you!" the guards cried, bowing low before their king.  
  
Amenhotep snarled at them and stalked over to the girl.  
  
"Who are you and what do you think you're doing in my palace?" he demanded.  
  
The girl looked up at him and her eyes shimmered. She was going to cry.  
  
"Oh, Ra! Anything but this!" he hissed. He couldn't stand it when girl's cried.  
  
"Yugi!" she sobbed as she launched herself into his arms.  
  
"What the-?" he yelped, looking down at her, totally dumbfounded.  
  
"Yokata! Yokata Yugi!" she cried. She then proceeded to sob uncontrollably.  
  
Amenhotep was clueless. He didn't know what to do. Laila never cried like this. What was wrong with her?  
  
At that moment the door burst open and he was confronted with himself.  
  
* * *  
  
Yami rushed towards a door, his fear and adrenaline pushing him beyond his limits as he heard what could only be Teya burst into tears. He slammed the doors open and was greeted by the sight of Tea in the arms of what appeared to be- himself.  
  
^Um.Yugi? This doesn't look good. ^  
  
*This is weird. *  
  
^You said it kid. ^  
  
"Tea, are you alright?"  
  
"Yugi?" she asked.  
  
"Yes. It's me." Answered Yami, feeling only slightly guilty for lying to her.  
  
"But, then who?" she asked pushing away from his look a like.  
  
Tea backed away and hid behind Joey, who looked back and forth between the two Yugis.er.Amenhoteps.er.Yamis.um.nevermind.  
  
Yami glanced at her, then focused his attention on the other him.  
  
"What was all that screaming about Tea?" he asked.  
  
"I woke up with these two idiots in my bed. My bed! I'm not old enough for that kind of stuff." She replied with dignity.  
  
Yami tried very hard not to fall over from shock.  
  
"So what? Its not like we were doin' nothin'. Besides, who'd wanna with a girl as flat as you?" growled Joey, still upset about being slapped.  
  
Tea's eyes glowed red.  
  
Yami sighed.  
  
"Stop it Tea. Joey, take that back, it was uncalled for."  
  
Tea blinked innocently at him, and Joey grumbled an apology.  
  
The other him started talking. All four of them blinked at him, not understanding a word.  
  
*Ne, Yami? Why not try activating the Millenium Eye? It reads minds doesn't it? Maybe it will help figure out what's on his mind. * Offered Yugi.  
  
^Not a bad idea short stuff. ^  
  
*Would you stop commenting on my height? * Hissed Yugi. Yami smirked.  
  
Yugi scowled.  
  
Yami ignored him and reached for his puzzle. The Eye was embedded in the Puzzle and because he controlled the Puzzle it might give him an edge when dealing with the Eye. Was mastering a second Millennium Item easier or harder? He had no way of knowing, and so, braced himself for the worst as he called to the power of the Eye.  
  
He felt the power building, pulsing around him until it swallowed his vision and Time stopped.  
  
* * *  
  
End Chapter 4 


	5. Eye

Time's Blood  
Chapter 5  
By: Lazeralk  
  
Standard disclaimers apply.  
  
*  
  
Yugi awoke floating in darkness. Yami floated beside him, unconscious. Yugi floated over to him, and shook his shoulder.  
  
"Yami. Yami wake up." He called.  
  
Yami grimaced, that was not fun. He opened his eyes was greeted by Yugi's concerned visage.  
  
"Hey kid. What's going on again?"  
  
"We're trying to use the Millennium Eye." Said Yugi.  
  
"Oh yeah. What happened?"  
  
"Dunno. I woke up here too."  
  
A glow before them alerted them to another presence in the darkness.  
  
~You are the ones who defeated my former keeper. What would you have of me?~  
  
"Are you the Millennium Eye?" Asked Yugi.  
  
~I am.~  
  
"We need to be able to understand what everyone is saying. We don't speak.um.ancient Egyptian." Said Yami to the light.  
  
~I will rectify this. My power is yours until you loose.~ said the Eye.  
  
"We understand. Thank you." Said Yugi.  
  
Then they were back in the room with everyone else. Teya was still hiding behind Joey, Tristan had stepped protectively between them and the Egyptians. The angry one was still glaring at the whole group demanding to know who they were and why they were there and what in the name of Ra they were wearing. It hit Yugi then that he could understand what they were saying.  
  
"Oi oi!" He called to his friends, gaining their attention.  
  
"Be quiet for a second ok?"  
  
Yugi, well really Yami, who was in charge at the moment, turned to the Egyptians.  
  
"Calm down and let's figure this out."  
  
"How is it that we can understand you now?" Asked that other him.  
  
"This." Said Yami fingering the Puzzle/Eye.  
  
"Yugi?" Asked Teya.  
  
"Yes Teya?" Said Yami kindly.  
  
"What's going on?" She asked.  
  
"I'm not really sure right now, but I'm betting that we've gone back in time just like Liala said and we must be in Egypt. I'm guessing that this is my past self and that he doesn't know what's going on." He explained in Japanese.  
  
He switched back over to Egyptian and began the introductions.  
  
"I'm Yami. The lady is Teya, the blonde is Joey and the brunette is Tristan. Laila brought us here from the future. Does that help you?" He said addressing the other him.  
  
The man nodded and hissed at the guards who were gawking at them in wonder.  
  
"Get back to your posts!" He told them. He turned to address Yami then, drawing himself up.  
  
"I am Pharaoh Amenhotep. Why would my mage bring you here from the future?"  
  
"She said that on the night of your eighteenth birthday you would be murdered and before you died you sent her into the future to get your reincarnation to prevent your death. I guess that's me." Said Yami.  
  
"But today is my eighteenth birthday. Did she say who would murder me?" Asked Amenhotep.  
  
"Uh.well.no, not really."  
  
"So then.we don't know who's plotting to kill me at this very moment?"  
  
"Nope, I guess not."  
  
"Great. That helps a lot." Said Amenhotep sarcastically.  
  
"Uh, Yugi? What's goin' on?" Asked Joey.  
  
"Just warning the pharaoh of his death, like Laila said. We're supposed to prevent it remember?" Replied Yami in Japanese.  
  
"Where is Laila?" Asked Teya, looking around.  
  
"Good question Teya." Yami then switched back to Egyptian.  
  
"Where is Laila?"  
  
"Don't know. Simon!" Called the pharaoh.  
  
A man, cloaked in flowing robes, seemed to materialize at Amenhotep's side, his eyes darting wildly around at them, the only visible part of his body.  
  
"Where is Laila Simon?"  
  
"Gone. Into Time, to staunch the wound." Came the soft reply.  
  
"That's right!" Said Yami. "Laila said your death upset Time and that it was bleeding."  
  
"Death?" Asked Simon, settling his searing gaze on Yami. Yugi gulped and shivered under that gaze.  
  
*He's creepy. *  
  
^No kidding. Why is he staring at us like that? It's like he can tell what we are. ^  
  
*Yeah.don't get to close Yami; maybe he's the guy that murdered the pharaoh. *  
  
^Maybe. ^  
  
Yami came out of his trance just as Amenhotep finished retelling the story to Simon, who was tense and fuming.  
  
Teya was once again hiding behind Joey and Tristan's fist kept clenching and unclenching. Yami leaned against the wall, closing his eyes and continuing his conversation with Yugi.  
  
^We still haven't found Kaiba. I'm a little worried about him. Why isn't he here with the others? ^  
  
*Dunno. Think he made it here ok? Maybe Laila left him back home. *  
  
^No. He was there with us in the.what did she call it?. ^  
  
*The In-Between. *  
  
^Yeah, the In-Between, if he was there with us, he should have shown up too. But he isn't here. ^  
  
*Maybe he's here but not here here, ya know? *  
  
^Yeah, that could be it, we could ask Amenhotep. ^  
  
"Yugi! Hey Yugi! Wake up man."  
  
"Nani? Ah gomen." Said Yami shaking himself out of his stupor.  
  
*We gotta practice that so we don't space every time huh? *  
  
^Yeah. ^  
  
"So, Yugi, what do we do now?" Asked Tristan.  
  
"We find Kaiba." Was the immediate response.  
  
"Kaiba? Oh yeah, he was with us in the creepy place too!" Said Teya.  
  
"Yeah, but he isn't here with us is he?" Commented Joey.  
  
"Amenhotep?" Called Yami.  
  
Said pharaoh turned his attention to his futuristic look-a-like but shot a glare at Simon when the cloaked man hissed.  
  
Yami shot his a questioning look.  
  
"He doesn't like it when people address me by my name. He thinks everyone should say 'My Lord' or 'Master' or something stupid like that." Sneered the pharaoh, showing his clear distaste for formality.  
  
"Uh, right. Look, we're missing a member of our party, tall guy, carries a brief case, real short brown hair, bad attitude, trench coat?" Said Yami trying to think of anything else that described the missing CEO of Kaiba Corp.  
  
"What's a brief case?" Asked Amenhotep.  
  
"What's a trench coat?" Echoed one of the guards.  
  
Yami sighed.  
  
"Never mind, his name's Seto Kaiba. He's got blue eyes, and."  
  
"Oh that guy!" Said the other guard. "We took him down to the temple, he looks creepily like the high priest."  
  
"Can you take us there?" Demanded Yami.  
  
"Sure." Said Amenhotep, motioning them to follow as he turned around.  
  
"We're going to find Kaiba now you guys, the guard said he's at the temple." Yami informed their friends.  
  
"That other language you speak, what is it?" Asked Amenhotep as they walked along the corridors.  
  
"Oh, its Nihongo." Said Yami. "You see we're from a place called Nippon, it's far to the east of here."  
  
"East?" Asked Amenhotep, thoroughly fascinated.  
  
"Oh yes, it's an archipelago, a chain of islands. We live on the main island, Honshu." Replied Yami as they approached the temple grounds.  
  
Just then an explosion rocked the area, originating from the depths of the temple. Bald monks and priests ran for their lives as a resounding crash echoed in the air. The group took off towards the building as roar shook the stone pillars.  
  
A very familiar sounding roar.  
  
"Oh no, Kaiba, you didn't!" Said Yami as he ran faster; he had to find Kaiba before he did anymore damage with that Blue Eyes White Dragon of his.  
  
*  
  
End Chapter 5 


	6. Together

Time's Blood  
Chapter 6  
By: Lazeralk  
  
Standard disclaimers apply.  
  
*  
  
Kaiba clicked the little 'x' button on the program window when he was finished. The other him was muttering in his strange language and casting glares at him. Kaiba glared right back.  
  
"What's your problem anyway?" He growled at him, not really expecting an answer, as he closed his brief case.  
  
The other him struck out with a long staff, hitting Kaiba on the head. Kaiba hit the floor and growled low in his throat. He popped open the case and took out his holo-projector. It was state of the art, his newest model and the one he intended to use in the tournament he was planning. He shut the case, left it on the floor and strapped the device to his arm as he stood. No one hit him and got away with it. No one. (Except maybe Moukuba)  
  
He flipped through his deck and found the card he wanted. He then activated the device, and watched with a glowing pride as his portable dueling field snapped into place. He put his card down on the monster space and leered evilly at his latest victim. The other him, began chanting and Kaiba wasted no time in calling fourth his beast.  
  
"Be born, Blue Eyes White Dragon!" He commanded.  
  
The holo-projectors lit up and the dragon formed from bits of light and microchips, howling its fury at anyone who would dare defy its master. Kaiba nearly fell over laughing at the priceless expression of utter shock on his counterparts face. The man then took off screaming like a lunatic down the hall. Kaiba composed himself before ordering his dragon to pursue and destroy. Thus, a rampaging dragon was loosed in the Temple of Ra, completely demolishing everything in site as it hunted.  
  
Kaiba calmly picked up his briefcase and followed the dragon out of the room and into a hall, searching for an exit.  
  
Sunlight caught his eye and he made his way toward a large porch type area framed in columns and an alter. He walked outside, and squinted around, waiting for his eyes to adjust.  
  
"Kaiba no! Call it back! Call it back!" Yelled a frantic Yami as he ran towards the teenaged computer genius.  
  
Kaiba looked down at his arm and plucked the card from the field, eliminating the dragon from existence. He gave Yami a level stare and glared.  
  
Yami ran up the temple steps and stood panting as he looked up at Kaiba. He then noticed the thing on Kaiba's arm. It was similar to the portable dueling discs he used in Duelist Kingdoms in that it was strapped to his forearm. However all resemblance ended there.  
  
"What's that?" he asked when he'd caught his breath.  
  
"My newest Duel Disc system. It's a state of the art model that I built myself. I even have one for you Yugi." Said Kaiba as he popped open his briefcase and pulled out said Duel Disc. He handed it to Yugi who blinked at it for a moment before slipping it on him arm.  
  
"Not bad, its not as heavy as it looks either." Said Yami as he tested moving his arm around with the Duel Disc on it.  
  
"What's going on? Who wrecked my temple?" demanded Amenhotep in Egyptian as he surveyed the damage.  
  
"This is Kaiba. His Blue Eyes White Dragon trashed your temple. Sorry about that." Said Yami.  
  
"Since when do you speak Egyptian?" asked Kaiba in Japanese.  
  
"Ya know Pegasus?" asked Yami as the others caught up to them and stared at the new Due Discs.  
  
"Yeah." Answered Kaiba.  
  
"Well, when I beat him the Millennium Eye fused with my Puzzle and I asked it to teach me Egyptian. Apparently a language barrier is no problem for it." Explained Yami.  
  
" Is he a sorcerer? To have summoned a beast as powerful as a White Dragon is very advanced magic." Commented Amenhotep.  
  
"Uh. No, not really. Kaiba is a programmer. Which is almost as good." Said Yami thoughtfully.  
  
He then relayed the question to Kaiba in Japanese, causing Joey to snort and Kaiba to raise an eyebrow.  
  
"What is a programmer?" asked Amenhotep.  
  
Yami sighed, he had no idea how to explain it, having little knowledge of it himself and he really didn't want to go back and fourth between Kaiba and Amenhotep. Then inspiration struck.  
  
"Hey Kaiba, how do you work this thing?" he asked, lifting his new Duel Disc.  
  
"You press that button and it comes together on the outside of your arm as a dueling field. Five spaces for monster cards and five slots beneath them for magic and trap." Said Kaiba, demonstrating on his own.  
  
"Got it." Said Yami as he slipped the Duel Disc off his arm and grabbed Amenhotep's.  
  
Simon hissed at the rude behavior, but quieted when his pharaoh glared at him.  
  
"Kaiba used his skill as a programmer to make this. It's a Duel Disc, a machine that summons copies of monsters." Said Yami as he strapped the Duel Disc to Amenhotep's arm and showed him the button. Amenhotep pushed the button and the machine moved, thoroughly shocking and scaring the young pharaoh. Simon looked ready to tear the thing off and Joey, Tristan and Teya were giggling at his expression.  
  
Yami gave them each a reproachful look and pulled out his deck. He told the pharaoh to pick a card and put it on the space face up.  
  
Amenhotep looked through the cards with a look of pure childlike glee. He finally selected the Dark Magician and put it on the space that Yami had pointed to.  
  
To his utter amazement, the Dark Magician materialized in front of him. Amenhotep was gaping in wonder as the card turned to face him; as he had no opponents. Amenhotep reached out with shaking fingertips and very gently touched the Magician's arm. It was solid and real, and kind of slick.  
  
The Dark Magician smiled fondly at him and waited patiently for the pharaoh to determine that he indeed existed.  
  
"Good choice, he's my favorite." Said Yami as he smiled proudly at his Magician.  
  
The Magician, who was floating half a foot off the ground, turned to his master and grinned. As far as he could tell, his master was one of the very best Duelists in the world and he was proud to serve him.  
  
"This is amazing." Whispered Amenhotep reverently. "This is the power of the programmer?"  
  
Yami blinked at him for a moment before laughing. He turned to Kaiba and translated for him. Kaiba smirked and shook his head.  
  
"Is this the power that destroyed my temple?" asked Amenhotep.  
  
"Uh. Yeah. Kaiba.well." Said Yami. He turned to his rival.  
  
"Why did you destroy the temple?"  
  
"There's this guy that looks like me and he attacked me so I set my Blue Eyes on his ass." Sneered Kaiba.  
  
"He attacked you and you sent a Blue Eyes White Dragon after him. You are evil Kaiba."  
  
Kaiba spread his hands in a sort of 'hey, it's what I do' gesture.  
  
Amenhotep sighed, looking around at his damaged temple and then down at the wondrous device on his arm. This device, the power of the programmer, this power belonged to Yugi. The pharaoh slid his arm out of the band and gave the device up to his future self.  
  
Yami took it, slid it over his arm and deactivated it. He retrieved his prized Dark Magician and slid the card back into his deck.  
  
"Come. You will all be my guests." Said Amenhotep. Yami translated and they turned back towards the palace.  
  
No one noticed the smoldering gaze of lowly priest. No one recognized the silver hair or the hazel eyes of Pegasus.  
  
End part 6 


End file.
